Darjeeling:
The Land of Thunderbolt. In the Tibetan language, Dorje meaning the thunderbolt scepter of the Hindu god Indra and Ling meaning a place or land. That’s how the queen of the mountains got her name. However, there’s a difference of opinions in Darjeeling’s toponymy. As per Lepcha people, ‘Darju Lang’ meaning ‘ Heaven on earth’ or ‘Dorje Ling’ meaning Observatory Hill in Tibetan words. Some even say that it was named after Lama Dorje Rinzing who built the Bhutia Busti Monastery in 1761.
One can reach Darjeeling by plane, train and surface transport. The nearest Airport is Bagdogra ( 4hours drive) and the nearest broad-gauge rail station is New Jalpaiguri (4 hours drive). One can immerse in tranquility in this picturesque hill station and stay put for a couple of days, away from the humdrum of city life. However, choosing a decent hotel in Darjeeling can be a daunting task and needless to say, a hotel can virtually make or mar one’s trip.
Having traveled to Darjeeling for half a dozen times, I have had a fair bit of idea of the place and what it offers. And for a decent budget stay, there are few options available and Darjeeling Tourist Lodge comes first on any given day.
Darjeeling Tourist Lodge:
As you enter through the large Iron Gate into the lodge premises, you find a fairly large property compared to the other hotels in this category. The main building having 13 rooms offers the premium experience whereas the Annex building with 16 rooms caters to the budget tourists. There’s an open car parking area right in front of the reception.
Main Building:
There are two types of rooms available in the main building. ‘Standard double bedded rooms’ are quite large would be a great choice for a comfortable stay. But one can choose even something fancier for some extra money for a ‘Large double bedded rooms’. Every room in the main building has a covered balcony with two chairs and a table offer marvelous views of the valley and the mountain range.
Annex Building ( Budget Option ):
The rooms in the annex building are smaller yet extremely cozy. It comes with all the basic amenities including TV, Hot & Cold water, wooden floor etc.
There’s a well maintained lush green lawn at the backside of the hotel and the entire Himalayan range can be seen from there. The lawn is open to any guest of the lodge. You will certainly love to spend more time in the lawn than you do elsewhere otherwise.
For every guest, there’s complimentary breakfast which can be availed at the large, airy dining hall located at the ground floor of the main building. It serves Indian and Chinese delicacies.
Note:
The rate for single occupancy is 25% lesser than double occupancy.
Senior Citizens can avail 20% discount
The lodge is by far the best considering the location, rooms, tariff, and amenities. It is only a 5-minute walk from the Chowrasta Mall. However, the 100 meters long road leading to the hotel is quite steep. So, some aged people might find it difficult to walk to the lodge.
Darjeeling Tourist Lodge can be booked online through www.wbtdcl.com.